JTeach Academy is committed to providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for all students where respect is held as the pinnacle of behavioural standards.
Please note that this is a “living document” and subject to periodic change based upon the development of JTeach Academy’s Policies & procedures.
JTeach Academy’s expectations of students:
- Act safely and responsibly at all times.
- Respect teachers and all other students.
- Speak and behave appropriately at all times.
- Respect school property.
- Log in to classes on time and attend classes regularly.
- Place effort into your classwork and complete assignments on time.
Consequences of Misconduct
JTeach Academy employs a progressive consequence policy in regards to instances of student misconduct. Steps addressing misconduct may include:
- Verbal warning.
- Parent/guardian called by a member of the administration.
- Suspension of a student from JTeach Academy for a maximum of two weeks.
- Expulsion of a student from JTeach Academy. In such a case, no refunds will be given, and the student will lose their credit.
SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION POLICIES
Incidences Which May Lead to Suspension
- Cursing, bullying, uttering threats
- Excessive talking with peers during class
- Disrupting class instruction
- Inappropriate usage of cell phones and/or other devices
- Vandalism
- Inflicting, or encouraging others to cause, bodily harm toward others
- Persistent unauthorized tardiness and/or absence from class
Incidences Which May Lead to Expulsion
- Being in possession of, or being under the influence of, alcohol
- Having possession of, or being under the influence of, illegal drugs
- Having possession and/or usage of any weapon
- Theft
- Continuing to misbehave after ample warning
- A second incidence of plagiarism or cheating
- Absenteeism from seven JTeach Academy classes
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
As an important component of the learning process, attendance of classes at JTeach Academy is mandatory. All students are required to attend classes regularly and adhere to the class schedule. Students who are absent for a given class are responsible for acquiring missed lesson material and completing all classwork and assignments. Absences are considered unexcused if prior notice has not been provided by the student’s parent/guardian, or by the student if they are 18 years of age or older. As the Ministry of Education requires a minimum of classroom instructional hours, students who are absent for seven or more classes may lose their credit entirely.
In order to avoid class disturbances, students who arrive to a class after the first 15 minutes may be refused entry and will be marked as absent.
Students who miss four consecutive classes will be considered as withdrawn from the course unless other arrangements have been discussed with the JTeach Academy office. Attempts will be made to contact the parent and student in order to determine the nature of the absences, but attendance and course completion remain the responsibility of the parents and students.
Students who withdraw from a JTeach Academy course must inform the JTeach Academy office in writing. Any student who does not inform the office, or does not withdraw before the official ‘drop date’ noted on the Important Dates document for the applicable school year, will be considered fully registered and responsible for any registration fees outstanding and will receive a grade of ‘incomplete’ on their Ontario Student Transcript (See Ministry Guidelines below).
LATE AND MISSED ASSIGNMENTS
Students are responsible for providing evidence of their learning of the overall expectations within the time frame specified by the teacher and in a form approved by the teacher. The expectations and consequences in regards to incomplete assignments, late submissions, and missed assignments or assessments will be reviewed by the teacher at the start of every JTeach Academy course.
It is the responsibility of the student to arrange to make-up any assignments or assessments missed for a valid reason with the course teacher. Determining dates for make-up assignments or assessments are subject to the teacher’s discretion.
When in the teacher’s professional judgement, it is appropriate to do so, a number of strategies may be used to help prevent and/or address late and missed assignments or assessments. They include:
- asking the student to clarify the reason for not completing the assignment;
- helping students develop better time-management skills;
- collaborating with other staff to prepare a part- or full-year calendar of major assignment dates for every class;
- planning for major assignments to be completed in stages, so that students are less likely to be faced with an all-or-nothing situation at the last minute;
- maintaining ongoing communication with students and/or parents about due dates and late assignments, and scheduling conferences with parents if the problem persists;
- in secondary schools, referring the student to the Student Success team or teacher;
- taking into consideration legitimate reasons for missed deadlines;
- setting up a student contract;
- using counselling or peer tutoring to try to deal positively with problems;
- holding teacher-student conferences;
- providing alternative assignments or tests/exams where, in the teacher’s professional judgement, it is reasonable and appropriate to do so;
- deducting marks for late assignments, up to and including the full value of the assignment.
Growing Success, 2010 (https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf)
Where relevant, provincial regulations apply in the writing of annual written examinations or final presentations.
PLAGIARISM
JTeach Academy expects that student work represents original thought unless properly referenced. Submitting the work or thoughts of others as your own is a serious academic and ethical offense. Even a whole sentence, paragraph or short passage copied, summarized or paraphrased from another source (be it from a book, a periodical or the internet) constitutes plagiarism unless you acknowledge the source. If you have any doubt that you may not have acknowledged sources sufficiently, consult your teacher. Plagiarism is deliberate dishonesty. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
- submitting an essay written in whole or in part by someone else
- submitting an essay copied in whole or in part from the Internet
- allowing one’s essay or assignment to be copied
- copying an essay or assignment
- preparing an essay or assignment on behalf of another student
- submitting an assignment or other work that is completed by another person
- buying or selling assignments
- copying from another student
- making information available to other students
- using unauthorized material
- submitting a work from one course as work in another course
- impersonating a candidate in a test or exam
- asking someone to impersonate you in a test or exam
Teacher Actions to Help Avoid Plagiarism
- Defining the term and reminding students of it when setting out an assignment
- Providing students with examples of what constitutes plagiarism
- Emphasizing the importance of using process skills to arrive at a product
- Teaching research skills so students can avoid plagiarising: note taking, paraphrasing, summarizing
- Teaching organizational skills: finding and organizing information to build understanding of a topic
- Teaching students how to make an outline for a report or research essay
- Having students keep a learning log to reflect on what they learned through the process: how research and organizational skills helped with the project; how could the product be improved; how can the research and organizational skills be improved
- Assessing the process steps: notes, outline, drafts, summary, work cited, etc.
- Informing students of the consequences of plagiarism
Consequences
Plagiarism and other forms of cheating are considered as academic theft and may result in a mark of zero or complete withdrawal from the course. The teacher will address the matter with the student and inform the principal of the transgression without delay. If a student is deemed to have committed plagiarism, the course fee will not be refunded.
After discussion with the principal, the teacher may allow the student to demonstrate evidence of achievement of the affected expectations of the assignment (e.g. research, organizational, presentation skills) by arranging an alternate assignment or assessment. If alternate opportunities are allowed, the teacher may choose not to factor in a mark of zero for the plagiarized assignment in the calculation of the term mark.
A second instance of plagiarism will result in expulsion from the course. In such a case, the course fee will not be refunded.
Appeal
A student may appeal the teacher’s decision to the principal after discussion with the teacher.
Compiled in part with information from the YRDSB’s Board Procedure #305.2
STUDENTS DEEMED TO BE AT RISK
Students who are struggling in a JTeach Academy course will receive support and interventions through a variety of means including: monitoring and tracking student progress, providing differentiated instruction to meet students’ learning needs, providing opportunities for meaningful engagement in students’ learning and working with students’ parents/guardians to support student success.
FAILING GRADE POLICY
JTeach Academy teachers attempt to ensure the successful completion of a course by their students. Where a student does not achieve the curriculum expectations of a course, the principal and teaching staff, in consultation with the parents and the student, will determine what type of program would best enable the student to meet the expectations and earn credit for the course.
In very particular instances, where students earn less than a 50% on a test or assignment, they may request a chance to retake a test or resubmit an assignment.
Students must provide an adequate written explanation to both the teacher and the principal as to why they believe that they will do better on the reassessment with an explanation of why they performed as they did on their original test or assignment.
It will be at the teacher’s sole discretion as to whether a student has provided ample reason to allow for a retake of a test or to complete an assignment in lieu of the failing grade. If the teacher deems it appropriate, students will be granted a retest.
In the event of a retest, the average of the two marks will be calculated.
If a student believes that their mark on an assignment or test does not reflect their usual performance, they must file a grievance in writing and submit it to their teacher and the principal.
Student grievances must be written in a respectful tone and clearly explain why they believe the grade does not reflect their performance.
Each grievance will be dealt with on an individual basis.